Pheasant's Back Mushroom

About

Cerioporus squamosus, also known as Pheasant's back mushrooms and dryad's saddle, is a basidiomycetebracket fungus found growing on dead trees, are fan shaped with brown "feather-like" coloring, and should be sliced thinly and quickly pan fried to enjoy their delicate taste.

Physical Description

Tasting Notes

Flavors: cucumbery

Mouthfeel: Dense, Meaty, Chewy

Food complements: Warm spinach salad

Selecting and Buying

Seasonality: may, june, july

Peak: may, june

Choosing: Choose pheasant's back mushrooms that are on the small side. The larger mushrooms in this family tend to be tough and woody, as well as mealy. Their color should be good. The caps should not be slimy looking, neither should the stems.

Buying: Pheasant's back mushrooms are most often found fresh in the spring.

Procuring: Found growing on dead logs and stumps. Avoid larger pheasant's back mushrooms as they tend to be more dense and tough. Those smaller in size have better flavor and a better texture for cooking.

Preparation and Use

Bake in a 375F oven for up to 45 minutes with just some olive oil drizzled over them and a bit of salt and pepper. They will be a bit crisp. Pheasant's back mushrooms are also suitable for tempura-style cuisine, as well as sauteing and pan-frying. When raw their texture and flavor makes them a nice addition to salads.